My Time To Heal
by ParaCaerOuVoar
Summary: Sometimes only the past can heal, sometimes it's the future. Only time and fate can know which./CONTAINS OC'S
1. Chapter 1

This is a completely new fandom for me, so I hope I can get everyone in character.

Dedicated to Courtney (Manhattan) and Mary (Bronx) (don't ask), cos they're epic, and for putting up with my moaning on about it!

Also, I know nothing about Scott's background, so I'm making it up.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Ali and Maddy.

--

I stood at the entrance to the drive way, checking the sign once more, as if the name would somehow have changed since my last glance thirty seconds ago.

It still matched the address scribbled on a piece of paper in untidy, cramped handwriting. _Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters _was scrawled across the back of the postcard, along with the words '_If you ever need a safe place.'_

I smiled. I'd known him for twenty five years, and I still couldn't get used to the hand writing. How could someone so neat and organised in real life have such chicken scratch writing?

I raised my hand to knock on the wrought iron gates when I noticed a button, and an intercom thing. I pushed the button, but hesistated when a voice barked out of the speaker at me. 'What?'

'I uh, my name is uh, Maddy, I'm uh, looking for-' I started.

'Are you one of us?' The voice cut me off.

'Define us,' I retorted, getting a little pissed by this man and his offhand manner.

'Are you a mutant?' he snapped, the force of agression in his tone making the intercom squeal in protest.

I paused, unsure how to answer it sure, I was a mutant, but I wasn't one of them.

'Look, either you are or you aren't, it's not a hard question.'

'Y-yes,' I said, finally spitting it out. Great, I had developed a stutter. Fantastic.

With a shudder, the aging gates shuddered open, and I began my seemingly long journey down the long drive, surrounded by trees and various shrubs. My fingertips tingled as I jorneyed down the green hued path, rounding the corner to find a gargantuan brick building. It certainly looked like a school on first glance. Children playing basketball, walking through the grounds, sitting under trees reading. Then I looked again, and realised how gifted these youngsters were. One small child, who couldn't be more than three foot nothing was wrestling playfully with someone more than three times his size, and winning by the look of things. A couple were strolling across a lake hand in hand, the boy casually holding his hand out, freezing the water beneath them. The basketball players were all the same person I noted. It was true. There were others like me. I continued slowly through the gorunds, glancing from side to side at the kids who I knew were staring at me. With my moss green hair and emerald tinged skin, I knew I didn't exactly look normal.

Credit where it's due, most of the kids took one look and went back to whatever they were doing. One or two of the younger ones stared, and an older boy, in his late teens, with dark eyes and a cruel mouth, his face contorted into a sneer.

I reached the main door and knocked gently. A small girl appeared beside me. I jumped slightly. A teleporter. 'You can just go right in,' she said in a quiet, almost whispering voice, smiling up at me, revealing a gap where her two front teeth should be.

'OK, thank you sweetie,'I said, pushing the door open. She smiled her gap toothed smile and disappeared, reappearing on a rug, where she seemed to be having a tea party with her dolls.

Stepping inside the huge lobby, I looked around in awe. Coming down one of the huge staircases was a blue skinned guy, covered in intricate tattoos, a tail snaking behind him.

'Gutentag,' he said, obviously by way of greeting.

'Gutentag,' I replied, as he passed me, dropping to all fours and bounding off down one of the many corridors. I edged further into the lobby, shutting the door behind me with a muted click. Suddenly, there was a whoosh of air behind me, and a thud, the glass in the nearby trophy cabinets rattling. I turned slightly, seeing a figure behind me. 'Very impressive. What else do you do?' I asked, turning properly to get a look at him, or her, as the case may be. I came face to, well, chest with a tall man with a dark, brooding, but handsome face. His hair was dark, and seemed to grow in an odd way, giving the impression of two pointed ears. His eyes were brown, with an underlying animalistic tone that looked so natural it made me wonder if it was always there. Clad simply in jeans and a wifebeater showing off lean muscles and tanned arms and shoulders, dog tags hung around his neck, but I couldn't read the name on them.

'Maddy, I presume?' he asked brusquely, hiding his surprise at having not shocked me well, but not well enough that I didn't notice.

'That's me, I'm looking for-'

'The professor. Up the stairs, second door on the left. He'll know you're there.' The sonofabitch cut me off again, and turned away, heading back up the stairs.

'No,' I said forcefully, making him listen to me. I don't like being ignored. 'I don't want to see your damn professor. I'm here to see Scott! Scott Summers? He sent me this!' I pulled the postcard from my pocket, shoving it in his face. He looked at it for a second, before snorting and turning away, heading up the stairs he must have jumped from before. 'Good luck with that. This way.'

I followed him silently up the stairs, struggling to keep my emotions in check. The last time I lost my temper, I mean really lost it, people got hurt. Someone died.

He led me down a narrow corridor to a pine door. He knocked on it, shouting 'Scott! Visitor!' before turning and jogging back down the corridor. Turning left at the end. I turned my attention back to the closed door. I knocked again, more gently than the other man had. 'Scott?' I asked through the door. 'Are you in there? It's me, Maddy. Are you gonna let me in?'

I waited for a few minutes, and then turned to leave. Maybe he wasn't in. And what did that guy mean by 'good luck'? Behind me I heard a lock turning and the door clicked open. 'Maddy?' a voice asked, not Scott's voice. It was too hard, too bitter. I turned to see this stranger in Scott's room and was rendered speechless. It was Scott alright, but not Scott. His once hazel eyes were covered in a pair of ruby sunglasses. His hair was lank and unwashed, and there was at least a week's growth of stubble on his chin and neck. He was wearing a grubby white t-shirt and a pair of black sweats. A sheen of sweat covered his body, what I could see of it.

'Oh Scott,' I breathed, devastated by this. 'What happened to you?'

--

Well, I know it's short, but it seemed like a good place to stop. I hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to night-star-93 and Laura xx for the great reviews!

A NOTE: Prof. X is waaaay out of char on this, but meh. –shrugs- Whaddya gonna do?

I own nothing, only Maddy. My awesome friend Laura owns the WMHG, and has let me borrow them, cos they're epic, and so is she!

--

I gaped at my former best friend, or what was left of him. His clothes hung off a once well built and stocky frame, and the bags peeking out from under his ruby shades made him look like he'd just gone ten rounds with Ricardo Domínguez. 'What are you doing here?' he asked, his voice hoarse from disuse, I guessed.

I held out the postcard, smiling hopefully. 'I needed a safe place. You said I could come here, so here I am.'

One corner of his mouth twitched, but dropped back in his sullen expression. He had forgotten how to smile? 'So, you gonna let me in?' I asked lightheartedly, not really wanting to stay in the corridor. It was too exposed, which sounded silly, but I'd spent too long running to make a stupid mistake like thinking I was safe.

He shuffled out of the way, letting me into the room. The curtains were drawn, and clothes were strewn everywhere. The air was stale, like he hadn't left the room, or even opened the door out in some time.

'Jeez, Scotty,' I used my childhood nickname for him. 'What the hell happened?'

He said nothing, slumping into the arm chair in the corner, staring desolately at a crumpled and well used photo. On it, a Scott more like the one I used to know was smiling into the camera, his arm wrapped around the waist of a beautiful auburn haired woman. They looked happy. What had happened to her?

I knew better than to ask. I may have been mouthy in my childhood, but time had told me when to keep my trap shut. I just didn't listen about ninety percent of the time. A tear slid down his face, escaping the glasses, and I knew it was time to make my exit. 'I'll see you later,' I said quietly, leaving my oldest friend to his grief.

--

I made my way through the silent corridors of the mansion. 'If this is a school, where are the kids?' I muttered, peering around a corner into a staircase. The décor was seriously eighties, but classy, with panels of mahogany tiling the walls

-_In their lessons-_

I jumped as a deep, calm voice filled my thoughts, and I looked around suspiciously.

-O_ver here-_ came the voice again, and I looked over at one of the panels of wood. It seemed different to the others, my enhanced sighting picking up traces of light escaping through the cracks in the wood. I went over and pushed slightly, unsurprised when it was revealed to be a door. I edged through it, my ever present survival instincts screaming warnings at me.

I walked into a large, well lit office, decorated with the same mahogany paneling as the outside corridor. The walls were covered with expensive looking paintings and where there weren't painting, there were large windows, which explained the bright light shining in from outside. A huge desk sat in the middle of the room, crowded but impeccably neat. Behind it sat a man. He was completely bald, but younger than I'd expected. Clearly, he was the source of the voice in my head, if the way he was smiling at me was any indication. _Don't bother standing up, _I muttered in my head. Clearly an hour and a half of sleep was getting to me.

'Hello,' he said, wheeling his chair out from under the desk and towards me. Crap! He was disabled! I immediately felt guilty. This guy could project his thoughts, maybe he could read minds too.

'What do you want?' I asked warily, backing away. I immediately didn't trust this guy. 'Just to welcome you to the school. I see you'll be staying here while Scott is… incapacitated,' he said finally, holding a hand out for me to shake. I took it gently, snatching my hand back as soon as manners allowed. I didn't have to be rude because my world was going to hell. Then my brain caught up with my ears.

'Wait, how did you know I was staying? I hadn't decided myself yet?'

'Not consciously perhaps,' he said enigmatically, before rolling out of the door. 'Follow me please.'

Raising an eyebrow, I followed him out of the room to God knows where. But my heart was still upstairs in a dark musty bedroom with my broken friend.

--

'My name is Zara, and I'm not an alcoholic, I'm here because the state of New York says I have to be. I have no interest in any of you, and if you all say 'Hi so and so' in that stupid patronizing tone one more time, I think I might just be sick. Any questions?' I stared around the room, meeting everyone's gaze, daring them all to stand up and ask a question. One kid at the back, couldn't have been more than twenty two, looked like he was about to open his mouth, and I leveled my, admittedly scary black irises at him, and he turned an interesting shade of white that I'd previously only seen on picket fences. 'I thought so,' I snapped, and climbed off the podium and headed back to my seat. Slumping in it, I searched my pockets for my lighter and packet of cigarettes. I lit one tiredly and took a long drag. In the row in front of me, an elderly woman turned around and glared at me. 'You're not supposed to smoke in here,' she said snippily.

'And people aren't supposed to fit into a shell suit clearly made for people half their weight, but here you are,' I retorted, flicking cigarette ash on the floor.

She glowered, her cheeks tinged salmon, and turned back round without another word. I dropped the butt on the floor and ground it with my heel. They said I had to turn up to every meeting. They didn't specify a time limit. I stood up, grabbed my bag and headed for the door, when I stopped. Something didn't feel right. I turned slowly, and before I could even think, the door to the hall blew open and a smoke bomb blew in, followed by men and women in army gear, armed with guns.

Suddenly, I was in much deeper shit than a stupid DUI.

--

Yeah, Zara's a bitch. We'll get to that later. I have my reasons. Strange, twisted reasons, but reasons all the same.


	3. Chapter 3

denOK, I know I haven't updated this in FOREVER, but SPN kinda took over my brain, honest.

Usual disclaimer applies, I own nothing but Zara and Maddy.

--

**Maddy**

Professor Xavier wound his way through the corridors in his, admittedly cool, wheelchair. I followed mutely as he talked about the school's design, but I could hold it in no longer. 'This is a school for mutants?' I blurted out.

'It is,' he said serenely. 'It's a place to come where they can feel safe. Maybe of the children have,' he paused, clearly thinking of the right word. 'Physical, side effects from their mutation, such as yourself.'

I nodded. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Then I realised he was talking to me again. 'When did your mutation manifest?'

I shrugged. 'I dunno. I've been Hulk coloured all my life. Since before I can remember. Does it make a difference?'

'Merely curious,' he said, and continued on. He turned left, explaining more about the school, before entering a large, well lit kitchen. The fridge door was open and I could see someone sticking their head and upper body right in. They'd need to, it was a gigantic fridge. Easily big enough for me to sit in. I watched whoever it was idly. He had a great ass, I remarked silently, flushing crimson as I realised who I was standing next to. He threw an amused look at me, and I blushed even deeper as the figure straightened up. It was that ass from earlier, with all the hair, and the gorgeous eyes.

'Logan, this is Madeline. She'll be living with us for a while.'

'Maddy,' I corrected automatically. 'With a Y.'

Logan looked me up and down, pausing momentarily on my chest. I snapped my fingers. 'My face is up here, Wolfie.'

His eyes snapped up to meet mine, burning with pure animal rage. I understood now how accurate my wolf analogy was. He smiled, revealing sharp canines. A shiver ran down my spine, but I hid it. For the first time in a long time, I felt genuine terror from another person.

He sniffed the air, feral, before he dropped into a defensive crouch so slight I wasn't sure if it were real or not. He started circling me slightly, and I turned, mirroring his crouch.

'Logan, I'd like you to take her bag and show her to her room. She'll be sleeping in with Elizabeth for the time being.'

He scowled at the obviously strenuous task of showing me up a flight or two of stairs. 'This way,' he said gruffly, jerking his head towards the other door into the kitchen. He grabbed a can of something from the fridge and let it swing shut before setting off at a rushed pace, expecting me to keep up. I surprised him by matching him, step for step. He sniffed, wrinkling his nose in disdain. He slowed a little, disappointed. I allowed myself a smirk, hitching the bag higher.

'The professor, said uh, said I should take your bag?' he offered awkwardly, making it obvious he had no such intention of doing so.

'I'm perfectly capable of carrying a back pack by myself, thank you,' I said icily.

He held up his hands in mock surrender, and said nothing more to me until reaching a corridor, similar to the one he'd shown me earlier. He stopped in front of a door adorn with tickets. Dozens of movie stubs and what was even more impressive, an array of gig tickets, mostly for the classic rock genre. I spotted bands like Metallica, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple spattered across the door as well as more modern bands like Nickelback and Breaking Benjamin. Inside the room was a dull thud of music. I listened intently. _I Will Not Bow_ was blaring out of a set of speakers. I turned to thank Logan, but he'd vanished. I watched him disappear around the corner before turning back to the ticked covered door and knocking. I learnt _that_ one the hard way, after walking in on a couple of friends when I was crashing on their couch.

I put my best 'Try and look friendly' smile on my face and waited to be greeted by whoever was on the other side of the door. The music clicked off and the door swung open.

--

**Zara**

I stopped, dropped and rolled like my ass was on fire. If I didn't move fast enough, it would be. I ducked under the outstretched arm of the shell suit bitch and headed for the window, cursing God, or whatever deity happened to be listening right now that my mutation wasn't an offensive one. Lucky I was fast. And small. I was at the window, knocking the glass out with my elbow, reversing my sudden curse to God, Buddha, Bill Gates, etc, making it a profuse thanks that I had decided to wear my good leather jacket today, of all days. Ignoring the slivers of razor sharp glass slicing into my hands, I sucked the pain up and vaulted over the window and out of the building. Landing softly, I hissed in pain as I looked at my ribboned palms. That was gonna hurt in the morning.

Sighing, I started running down the alley and turning left at the end, leaving drips of blood as the movement jostled my hands. Any moron could follow me, a fact that bothered me, but I was going to bleed to death until I got home and ascertained that I hadn't sliced any veins, or until help came in the form of your friendly neighbourhood mutants. I knew a couple of kids who lived up at the school, I hooked 'em up with what they needed when they came into the city. Booze mostly, sometime grass, but nothing they couldn't get themselves. This _was_ New York, after all. I was merely doing them a favour.

So yeah, I knew the kids, and of their stuffy old head teacher, Xavier, but I had no interest in ever going there. School held bad memories for me, there was no way in hell I was going back voluntarily, even to a school specially designed to care for freaks like me.

I'd lived this long without anyone else, what was a few more years until I moved on again?

--

Again, sorry it took so long, I have a new updating system in [place now, so it should be quicker until the next one.

Liken it, don't like it? Let me know!


End file.
